Aloha Alive: The Dawn O'Brien Podcast
Why Aloha? the whole world knows what aloha is--love in Hawai'i--but better to ask WHY ALOHA? the answer is as essential as breath & as fun as whistling, so LET'S GO!
Aloha Alive: The Dawn O'Brien Podcast
Hawaii's Secret to Natural Disasters & More...
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Charmaine Hauanio-Kuewa is a Miss Aloha Hawaii & Salvation Army Hawaii leader, talking on local disaster relief, ohana trials, & what real help looks like Hawaiian-style.
• Why Salvation Army responds to both disasters and “daily disasters”
• What happened after Lahaina & North Shore storms
• How meals, shelter support & financial assistance work
• Why emotional & spiritual support matter too
• Identity, purpose & guarding marriage & family under pressure
• A word to women re: comparison, Imposter Syndrome, & being BELOVED!
You can get more of Charmaine, of course, at Salvation Army Hawaii. Please partner with them for "Doing the Most Good" with your dollars, volunteer time, sharing this message or simply dropping a THANK YOU here in the comments. Every action brings exponential change, MAHALO!
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Welcome And Guest Introduction
SPEAKER_02Aloha and welcome to Aloha Alive. Today we have a Miss Aloha Hawaii with us, one of Hawaii's very best hula dancers, worship warriors, and she happens to work at Salvation Army of Hawaii. Welcome to my sister from another Mr. But the same hometown of Hilo, Charmaine Hawaneo Ku Eva. Aloha.
SPEAKER_04Aloha, Don. Thank you so much for having me. And oh my gosh, I feel like I have to pay you for that introduction.
SPEAKER_02That's because we're true Hilo Tiras and we just know how for go. Hilo Hanakah.
Who Charmaine Is And Her Work
SPEAKER_02You know, I'm gonna start right with um an introduction. Who are you and what do you do at Salvation Army Hawaii?
SPEAKER_04Well, thank you. So at Salvation Army Hawaii, uh I serve as the divisional director of development, um, but I am a Hilo Town girl. Yes, you born and raised, and um my family comes from Kalapana and um South Point. Yes, and um I went to Kamehameha schools as a boarder my freshman year in high school. I don't know how my mom let me go. I have no idea.
SPEAKER_02How do you let go of your baby at ninth grade to move to school? No idea exactly. But back then that's how it had to be because we didn't have a Kamehameha schools KO.
SPEAKER_04Correct. And you know, as parents, we want the very best for our children, right? As aunties, you want the best for your nieces and nephews. And so um I had the privilege of going to Kamehameha and went to college for a little bit on the mainland, but returned back home and have spent my life working in travel industry, tourism, marketing, um, doing advancement for schools, um, just so many things. I'm I as I think about it, my resume is probably five pages long. That means I'm old.
SPEAKER_02Um, she's not bragging, but she does have a lot of experience. Even in Japan, she speaks Japanese. We'll go to restaurants, she knows how to order for me in Japanese. A little bit, just a little bit. Scoot this name.
SPEAKER_04So um, but yeah, so and all of those experiences now in retrospect, I can see how God worked all of those things together to put me into this current position and role, which I feel so humbled to serve in this position because now I can see that both my skill and my passion for Christ have kind of, I don't want to say collided. They've just been intertwined so beautifully. There you go. That's a good word. You're the master of words. And so I just feel so very grateful for this season that I'm in.
SPEAKER_02It's stunning to see as we read the Bible that it's similar to Joseph, right? A lot of different life experiences all along that coalesced and brought him to become the second in command in the world. And you get to serve as a director at Salvation Army Hawaii.
Disaster Response From Maui To Oahu
SPEAKER_02And then straight into launching from that, um, you do disaster response. Now, as we're watching this, many of you can relate. There's a lot of disaster that's gone on. You were on the ground after La Haina Wildfires Maui. Recently, as the time of this taping, you helped after the storms that devastated the North Shore Oahu, the Kona Lowe's, which came like it was round one, round two, round three, right? Like it was it was heavy duty. Why?
SPEAKER_04Great question. So, first of all, it's the right thing to do, right? And so the Salvation Army has been responding to disaster as a part of its ministry for many years since its onset. And really, uh, you know, though it's disaster that occurs because of some kind of weather typically, um, the Salvation Army is in the business of disaster. So we meet daily disasters, right? People, moms who can't put a meal on the table because they just can't make ends meet, a kopuna who cannot purchase their medication because it's too expensive. All of those things are daily disasters that perhaps us, right, local people, we don't think about every day.
SPEAKER_05Right, right.
SPEAKER_04You have a single mom whose car all of a sudden, you know, has uh some kind of issue, and now it causes a spiral effect of not being able to pay that bill, can't pay tuition, can't buy food, et cetera, et cetera. So those are daily disasters. When Lahaina happened, you know, for us our state, it really was the first uh disaster of that kind of magnitude. And um, even still, I feel like there's some PTSD that happens for people, myself included, because it was so overwhelming. And we were responding from day one. My team and I, I had team members on the ground from my specific development team on day two. Our emergency disaster services director at the time was in Guam, still responding to Typhoon Mawar. So the position I'm in, our division is the Hawaiian and Pacific Islands. So if you look at it on the map, it spans the entirety of the United States. Wow. So geographically, the largest division. Wow. And typically, when disaster happens, it happens in both areas. So Konalo happened and then Sinlaku happened in the Pacific Islands. So, you know, we go on the ground, we do what we can. Initial is always trying to figure out, first of all, the assessment of how people are. We look at our own people, our staff, our volunteers, and then the core members who belong to our salvation army and the surrounding community. And then we figure out what is it that they need, and we come in to provide that initial need. And uh in Conalo, for example, the first thing we do is provide food to any shelter that is um set up by the American Red Cross because they are um contracted by the state and the counties to set up shelter, and then the Salvation Army is contracted to come in and provide food at those shelters. So congregate shelters, and then in Maui they went to non-congregate, meaning they moved into hotels and we were still providing food there. So in Maui, we coordinated over a million meals to respond to the Maui wildfires. In addition, then we come in and we look at ways to provide immediate financial assistance. And so for Konalo, for example, at this point in time since its onset, we've given almost a half a million dollars in financial assistance.
SPEAKER_02And that was just a few weeks ago to show the magnitude of how much has been given in a short amount of time.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and you know, the Salvation Army uh belongs to every community, right? And so when disaster hits, it hits us too, but we're not planning to leave, right? We're gonna be there, we're gonna help with the recovery efforts, we're committed to the people in the community, committed to Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. And now we're serving, we're celebrating 132 years in Hawaii, 132 years of service.
SPEAKER_02Thank you, Salvation Army. So grateful. I love it. And
Waioli’s Legacy Of Second Chances
SPEAKER_02one of the first places I remember seeing some old, old, old photos was at Waioli, right? That used to be the tea room. You and I remember it as that. Yeah, and now it is our dear friends Stephanie and Ross, and the family who uphold the Waioli kitchen and bake shop. And it says that they've been on a mission or outreach as a little, but it used to be Salvation Army started it, as I recollect, and please correct me, as an orphanage and helping young pregnant moms. That's correct. Over a hundred years ago, I think it's now 103 years.
SPEAKER_04That's correct. So it was an orphanage until the state opened up the foster care system. When that happened, then it transitioned out. But Wyoli played a pivotal role in that while those moms were living on our campus, they would be able to go to Wyoli and train in hospitality and food and all of that. And Stephanie and Ross Anderson do a tremendous job of continuing that work and that partnership so that we can give second chances to folks who may have had, you know, some trouble in their life, but now they need a safe place. And so that employment, that ability to be in a community where you're loved and you're accepted, and then you're challenged to grow and empowered, right, with different skills, marketable skills, so that you can go out and make right for your family. So tremendous.
SPEAKER_02I was there having a breakfast. I I I like to meet there and bless people, and it just has a spirit of just maluchia, which is peace. Shalom. I took a friend of mine, Asha, who is now a pastor, but when we were sitting there, it just kind of came to her and she started um kind of misting up and then crying.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And she said, Don, I used to stay across the way from here. She had never eaten at the Waioli, I guess, but she stayed at the women and children's shelter with her smallest baby, and she was given a chance to get back on her feet. It wasn't a handout, it was a hand up. And this young mom was able to do that. Now, Pastor Asha Autele with the Assemblies of God has been fully certified licensed and is now ministering forward because just a recent current example of what's been happening for 103 years with that location up in Manoa. So thank you to Salvation Army for always. And your your theme is, as I recall, doing the most good.
SPEAKER_04That's right.
SPEAKER_02So when we see the red kettles, or we, you know, now it's online. It used to be outside the stores, especially at Christmas time, and it's on all those classic Christmas films. Now it's online, but there really is so much good that's being done with every dollar. And I myself, I always say, Charmaine knows me really well. I'm super honest. Don O'Brien says, I'm the most cynical Christian you know, so I'm always looking at, you know, navigator, charity navigator, who's not spending the money well. Right. But you guys, I think almost like 90%, 90 cents on the dollar goes straight back into ministry. Is that true?
SPEAKER_04It it's almost true. So, you know, with the rising costs of doing business, we're probably running around 82 to 84 cents on the dollar, which is a lot comparatively correct. Yeah. And then when it comes to disaster funding, all monies that we raise for disaster 100% goes to direct financial or direct service to the community. We don't take any administrative fees off of that. And so, you know, that's one of the reasons I love working for the Salvation Army is because I see behind the curtain. Yes, right. And um, I'm proud of the way that we uh have integrity in all of our dealings.
Where Donations Go And Why Integrity
SPEAKER_04Um, you know, there's never a question about how we handle money. We are good stewards of those resources, we take it seriously that people are entrusting us with their hard-earned dollars. Right. And it goes to vital programming for our people.
SPEAKER_02And immediate needs, and you're not saying this, I'm saying it a little bit where I remember landing in Lahaina and going to the response, and it was it was a massive trauma. I've never heard of a big portion of a town in the United States of America burning like that. Yeah, it was hard to see our local people struggling. But what reassured me and gave me peace in my heart was knowing, okay, a lot of there's no overhead cost for a salvation army to be on the ground. Do what you folks are doing. You were there with food. As you said, there was financial help being, you know, get gotten to the people. And knowing that, because we do work really hard for our money in the state of Hawaii, right? The cost of living is so high. So when I spend a dollar, I want to know it's a dollar well spent.
SPEAKER_04Correct.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. And you folks do that.
SPEAKER_04We do. And you know, in addition to that, I think what sets the salvation army apart is yes, we're going to provide those material needs, but more importantly, we come alongside people for emotional and spiritual support. Come on now, right? So when people are hurting, they are displaced, um, everything feels like it's uncertain. Yeah. The certainty of God, the sovereignty of God, the foundation of God, the fact that He will never leave you nor forsake you, though you might go through fire. That's great. Right. And we've we've experienced that. We go through fire, he is there, right? It might be refining fire, but we always come out better than when we entered. And there's always a purpose for that pain. And so, you know, both in Lahaina and, you know, here on Oahu, on Maui, on Molokai, it's a long road to recovery. It really is. And, you know, it's gonna take a while. So we're still working in all of those areas. Um, just recently, maybe about two weeks ago, my team and I went out for a second round of house-to-house, door-to-door, knocking on doors in La IA to talk with people and find out their need. And, you know, I had an uncle standing by my vehicle as we were providing uh uh what do you call financial assistance with tears in his eyes because he said it feels like somebody actually saw them and he said his home, you know, they had water above his waist. So the drywall, like halfway of his home, is collapsing. That house is gonna implode. And his whole family got sick because of the mold in their house. That's tough. And yeah, when you hear those stories, you know, I feel bad because I'm like, gosh, we're only doing this little bit, but it's something. And I feel, you know, grateful to have been able to be there and to pray with them and to talk with them and to assure them, right, that uh we're gonna continue coming, we're gonna continue being there, we're gonna continue looking for ways to help. Um, but we don't do it alone, right? We do it because of the great support of people like you and the community who support the work of the Salvation Army. I always say it takes an army behind the Salvation Army to do the work that we do. And, you know, internally as an organization, that doing the most good slogan. Um, there's some rub with that because some of us feel like, you know, that's tooting our own horn. And the Salvation Army is never about that, right? It's we do things that people have no idea that we do. And it's again, like I started out because it's the right thing to do. We don't need accolades here on earth because we know that we are gaining treasures and storing up treasures in heaven. And so grateful for the work that we do.
SPEAKER_02Thank you for that, Sister Shar. And I love that story of that gentleman who was there next to their truck, right? While you're providing assistance in a lot of these families, hard hit, hard working. Yeah. And so for them not to feel forgotten or forsaken. And we know the scripture, and it's one of my favorite verses where Jesus says, You I shall never leave you nor forsake you. And you circled back, it's now been about a month at the time of this taping. And to let them know we didn't just do a one and done. I didn't just come drop a first, you know, a couple of meals and maybe some money, but we're gonna come and this is about a relationship. Absolutely. As you um, I was on another episode with Pastor Jonathan Steeper, and he was there at the Kosovo refugee crisis, and this was many decades ago, but he said the main thing was we're gonna get through this together. Yeah, but no one really it's you know, it's the Disney line, ohana means family, and family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Thank you for
Practical Disaster Prep Plus Eternal Focus
SPEAKER_02that. Um, what can we do as we're watching and we're talking about disaster preparation? There's either man-made disaster, which is in the form of war or an attack, and then there's, as you address, a lot of natural disasters that are now coming down. How can we best prepare for disaster ourselves as individuals or as uh ohana, our home?
SPEAKER_04Good question. You know, I'm not an expert. Um, what I do with my family, obviously, number one, right? And I just had this conversation at my at my lunch table today with coworkers. Uh, there's a lot of fear and anxiety about natural disaster, right? And the news is talking about all this weather that we're expecting as scientists. And I don't, I don't um say that that's not true, but we can't get anxious over it, right? So at lunch today, I was somewhat joking, but somewhat serious. And I'll say this to everybody here. Number one, make sure you know Jesus. And number two, eat dessert first. Right? I mean, in all honesty.
SPEAKER_02Um, a girl after my own heart. I always start with dessert first because I say you never know when rapture is gonna happen. And I'm gonna go all happy, either in a brownie in my mouth or a brownie in my tummy. Let's go, Jesus, I'm ready now. I love that. No, Jesus and eat dessert first. Yeah, there you go.
SPEAKER_04But of course, right? They they give us all the the direction, right?
SPEAKER_02I love that. And one thing that I've often said as I prepare people, and we read, you know, so much of the Bible talks about cataclysmic catastrophes and wars and the rumors of wars or threat of war and earthquakes, famines, pestilence. But I say, don't be scared, be prepared. That's similar to what you're saying, but go ahead, so know Jesus and then eat dessert.
SPEAKER_04That's right. Because if we spend time worrying about it, we're wasting time. And our time is so short. Correct. Right? All the signs are there. We already see what the Bible has told us coming into fruition. We know it's happening. And so, what is it that God has called you to do? Really is the question, right?
SPEAKER_01That's good.
SPEAKER_04And I really also believe that because time is near, what we're experiencing right now is the enemy coming and attacking people's identity, right? Identity crisis. And so if he can get you focused on identity, then you forget what your purpose is. Come on. Because you're so focused on identity, right? And then you can't fulfill the purpose that God on one-on-one, correct?
SPEAKER_02Stuck on basic.
SPEAKER_04Right. But we gotta get about it because of the last days, correct, and we gotta advance the kingdom and we gotta do everything we can to bring everybody along that we love and care for with us, right? I don't want to go to heaven without all the people I love, amen. But I can't make the decision for them. I can only be faithful in the things that God has placed before me to do. That's good. So don't get distracted. What did you say? Don't be prepared, be prepared. Don't be scared, be scared. I gotta come up with something for don't get distracted, right?
SPEAKER_02Because distraction is destruction. I also teach that one. If you're looking to the left, the devil pops you right. Good. So as you're saying, get on your identity, get on your purpose, and then shake and bake. Be about the father's business.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02I love what you said, Shar, when you said it's not necessarily about being worried, and we know we're not to worry because it doesn't help. I can rock that rocking chair or worry all day long, but I ain't going nowhere. Correct. So Jesus does tell us, and you reframed it as in what's your purpose right now? Uh, I was just on the big island, we're both from Hilo, you from Kalapana, I love that area. And there was a massive earthquake. It was almost a 6.0. I think it registered at a 5.9, but you know, it felt like a lot. It was a long extended one off Ho Nao Now, right? Off Mao Nolo. And um it felt like a train coming through. Like, you know, just a big train, long time. My sister, we were watching a movie, she actually had the time to stand up, hold, you know, the big glass cupboard full of all of the mementos and the portraits and the family pictures and just try to hold it. But other areas of the island got hard hit. And I bring that up to say this that we prepared as much as possible. It's still gonna hit, you're gonna have consequences and fallout. But if you've prepared in advance, like having the extra food storage which she has in her garage, right? You have you don't know what the outcome of that earthquake, whether it's gonna be a massive 9, 10.0, or if it's just gonna be a little bit of a shaker, but either way, we got that extra food out in the garage. I was like, sis, you got the food, right? And you know where the water tank is, etc. Because we know it's coming, therefore, don't be scared, just be prepared. Yeah, and when you prepare enough, I often feel for myself, as for me in my house, we will serve the Lord, but we also have enough to share because Pastor Alan Cardenes Jr., who is out with Nanai Kapono, yes, on the West Side, he's a Nanakuli boy, has actually worked with FEMA and then the Hawaii version of Hima, I think it is. Um, he he made sure that he prepared the West Coast, right? The of our island, West Side. Yes, so that not only are you individually prepared, but then he went the second level of now that my home has enough to survive a natural disaster, how can we help other Ohana who may not have, right? Right. And then there's a community preparedness. Correct. Is that something that you folks also focus on?
SPEAKER_04Well, the Salvation Army doesn't do it itself, right? We of course uh encourage our core members to do that, but I think that's a wonderful strategy, if you will, right, to go about it. I often say that, you know, our firm family and friends on the neighbor islands, right? We all grew up hunting and fishing and all of that. And on Oahu in certain parts as well, right? We know how to survive. It's the areas that are congested, that have high rises that worry me the most because correct, because how will they survive? Now we saw beautiful, no place but Hawaii would you see this, right? Lahaina fires, and then you had all the boats coming from the neighbor islands bringing in all the supplies, not because they were told to do it, but because it's our family, we're gonna link arms, it's a kako thing, we're gonna take care of each other, right? We gotta malama one another. So I think that's important. So I love what you're saying, Pastor Cardenas has done. I also think that, you know, some of the people in our communities that can't take care of themselves, right? Our kopuna, especially, right, they are. In their homes, we gotta be able to get out there and check on them, uh, make sure they have what they need. And you know, local people, we experienced this in Wailua uh last month, responding to Konalo, my own family included. We were giving out financial assistance. All they had to do was come, fill out this short little form. We would give them financial assistance. Local people, no, no, no, no, somebody else needs it more than me. And I'm like, no, you need it. No, no, somebody else needs it more than me. Because we grew up, right? You don't ask for help. So finally I said, Okay, in La EA, we're gonna go to people's homes because they're not the local people in La EA were not coming to the distribution sites. I found that out from La EA people. Wow. And I said, why? And she said, because they're busy cleaning up their homes. I said, Okay, so if I come to your house and I go, here's some food, I'd like to give you some financial assistance. Will you accept it? She was like, I go. So at first you're gonna say no, and then when I insist, you're gonna say yes, local style, right? Yes, and that's exactly what it we experienced out there, and this is how we love one another, right? This is how we become Jesus in the flesh. We are the hands and feet of Jesus. So I love when you know, churches like uh Pastor Allen is doing is they become the hands and feet of Jesus in their community. Correct. If we can do that in every community, we're gonna be okay.
SPEAKER_02Yes, right.
SPEAKER_04So I love that if that can be replicated. Gosh, how how powerful would that be?
SPEAKER_02Well, and the beauty that I'm hearing from that also is that you did need to honor the culture, right? Because it might be different here on West Side, Nanakuli, Y and I, all the Ohana know each other, right? You gotta go check on Auntie So-and-so, or you gotta check grandma's house, she's all by herself. Yeah, I saw a video of that exact thing happening up in Wayalua with an older farmer, and same thing, hardcore work ethic. We will muscle this out. I don't need it as much as somebody else. But finally, after a few weeks saying, I do, I need some help. It takes a lot of humility. It does. But you going forward with the salvation army to say, you know, it's I think a large part of it is our plantation. We had many different ethnic groups coming, the Portuguese, the Chinese, Japanese. Um, and then you have the Asian cultures, Korean, right, where they don't accept initially, but you and it's almost a local joke, right? Like you gotta say, no, no, here's all the lychee. I brought you ly chi and then no, no, no, no, no. Okay, and now I can take it, right? Correct. Like just hurry up with all the no's. Yeah, but there's sensitivity, especially in a trauma or a disaster because you're almost on a primal level, you're on that brainstem, which is fight, flight, or freeze, it's survivor instinct, and a lot of times you're not engaging the prefrontal cortex. What I love about Salvation Army and want to highlight that you started with in the beginning is you come in for the moral emotion, um, I'm sorry, emotional spiritual support because that's the first part where you say, Look at me right now, we're gonna be okay. We're gonna walk through this together. And it's being present a lot, more than the food, which is important, more than the water and the medical supplies.
How She Joined The Salvation Army
SPEAKER_02How did you get inspired to start and join Salvation Army? Wow, great question.
SPEAKER_04So I used to be the director of advancement at my daughter's school, and um I started there when she was in kindergarten, and there was a Salvation Army officer who was the core officer, he and his wife, for the Crocs Center, and their son was a senior at this school. And so on the last day of school, I went up to their car just to find out what their son was gonna do after graduation, and he shared that he was going into youth ministry, and I just commended him and I shared that I had been a part of Young Life for many years in full-time youth ministry and just encouraged him in his journey. And so he left to college. The parents had another child at that school, so we remained in relationship for the next, I would say, three to five years, and then I had stepped away from the school. I felt God leading me to do something different. I took some some time off just to pray and be still, which I had never done in my life before. It was a real act of faith. Uh, I went to work for a friend for a little bit, but I knew that I wanted to be in a role that allowed me to speak about Jesus freely, right? I knew I wanted to be in ministry somehow. And that officer actually emailed me. It was right before Christmas in 2018, and he said, Hey, we have this position. Would you consider applying for it? And it was at the Crocs Center, and it was to be a creative arts and education manager, which I had had experience through my new hope involvement, right, a Metro Christian church. And so I applied and got the role, and that's where I started with the Salvation Army. Now I was like most people, I had no idea what the Salvation Army did. All I knew was the red kettles that they rang the bell. I didn't know where the money went, and I had some inclination about the Angel Tree program.
SPEAKER_05Okay.
SPEAKER_04When I went in and worked for the Army, and I still say here I am seven years later, I still am learning things about the army that I did not know coming in. And the breadth and scope of services that we provide is just unmatchable. Astounding, really. Really when you see it. Correct. And, you know, for the most part, Salvation Army is, you know, it's an international ministry. So for the most part, they all have the same, you know, core programs. But what happens is they go into communities, we go into communities, and we look at where the gaps are, and then we go and fill those gaps, right? So we are always make ensuring that we're not duplicating efforts because we want to make sure, again, we're being good stewards of the resources. And so that was the beginning of it all. Um, I served at the Crocs Center for about three, four years, and then had the privilege of moving to our divisional headquarters in September of 21.
SPEAKER_02Wow, which is in Manoa. Correct. Okay, yes, I love it, and I um just think again of that story of Joseph and how everything is coalescing to this point because you seem so perfectly fitted for what you're doing. And then to know that we have a Kanakamaoli, uh Hawaiian native who is now ministering to our islands at a very key level, you know, yeah, Lahaina, yes, the Konalos of Wayalua and North Shore, but to all people.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Uh, I just asked a pastor Jonathan Stieper, what are the mighty moves of God that have happened in the history of Hawaii that you've noticed? And he said, well, um, not so much the mighty moves, Dawn, as it is the gentle whisper that our God shows up. And here, and we don't recognize that it's, as you said, you know, it's helping a kupuna, it's helping a mom, a single mom, it's helping these people. But thank you for helping so many across the state of Hawaii. Now that helps me to pivot because I was gonna say Salvation Army is a global organization with practical operation, but you also volunteer in other ways. I saw you recently at the Crocs Center, which is a church, right? And I I didn't want to call it the Croc Church, but it's uh Crocs Center, Salvation Army Church. And what else
Worship Leading And The Call To Preach
SPEAKER_02do you do? Because you recently preached on Mother's Day, a very beautiful messages message. Thank you for having me with your ohana. You also do worship leadership. You mentioned New Hope. We both kind of grew up New Hope Christian Fellowship with under Pastor Wayne Cordero, and then uh you went on to Metro with Pastor Ahu. You do worship leading, singing, dancing, hula, and then you started preaching. Was that hard?
SPEAKER_04It was scary, right? And um, so worship is my most favorite thing to do. I will sing till the cows come home about God's goodness. I'm not kidding.
SPEAKER_02And then she'll sing them to sleep, and then she'll keep singing to Jesus all night for them.
SPEAKER_04Jesus' name. Um, and so uh, you know, I I was so um afraid when our my pastors asked if I would speak at church. And initially, like my initial response was no. I just immediately, and uh Major Darren, so every Salvation Army, so Salvation Army, let me back it up here. Salvation Army is a church first. Correct. Uh it's a church that has social service means. Oh, I love that. Most people know us as a social service organization.
SPEAKER_02So their identity first and foremost is a church.
SPEAKER_04Correct. That's so we're part of the universal universal Christian church, and our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in his name without discrimination. Wow. So when we started, it was soup, soap, and salvation. Wow. So our founders knew that it was important to first feed the tummy, right? Help people get cleansed, and then give them the word of God and a relationship with Christ that is the foundation and everything that they need for success and for life and all of that. And so smart. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Soup, soap and self and salvation in that order. Yes. Because that's how we listen, right? Our hungry tummy has no ears.
SPEAKER_04Correct, exactly, exactly. And so uh when Major Darren Norton approached me, it was a day right after I had let led worship at church, he came up to me and he's uh from England, so in his beautiful English accent, yeah, British accent. Shawmain, have you ever preached here? And I said, Oh no, I'm just a worship leader. Now, just I am trying to get rid of the word just in my life. I am working really hard at it, and for every worship leader around the world, it is no joke, right? It is not about singing songs. I've just had this conversation with my daughter. Worship is about praying, about surrender. It's about correct, and you know, it's the front lines, right? On the enemy front, going out and and fighting against powers and principalities to make room for the word of God, to till the soil of hearts so that they're ready to receive. Yes. So I was like, I'm just a worship leader. And then five minutes later, his wife came up and said, Charmaine, and she just grabbed my hands and I just started weeping because I knew where this was going. I knew. And she said, Before you say no, please go and pray. Yeah. And so I said, Okay, and the minute, Dawn, the minute I walked away from her, I knew God was telling me I had to say yes. Wow. I knew it, and I still delayed my response for three days.
SPEAKER_02Are you serious?
SPEAKER_04I'm serious. I I just, you know, it's that imposter syndrome, right? Of I who am I? Why would I? You know, like Moses. I'm I stutter. Why would they ask me? I'm not worthy to do that. I don't have any education to do that, right? And so I really struggled with it. So three days later, I called her and I said, Major Mary, I said, I know that my delay is disobedience.
SPEAKER_01Oh wow, sis. Delayed obedience is disobedience, right? We've said that. Correct.
SPEAKER_04And I said, and so I'm saying yes, but I'm so scared. And I cried on the phone with her, she cried with me, and then she prayed for me, and then you know, we just moved forward.
SPEAKER_02And then there's the hilo roots coming through. Three days, but I and I we're joking, but very seriously, I appreciate that those were probably a really tough three days for you when you are wrestling with the Lord on something you don't necessarily want to do. And we know the whole crux of our faith is in the one word, it's the obedience. Yeah. Um, for those of you who are thinking the one word is the cross, you're right, because the cross is the symbol of obedience. Amen. Uh, an obedience that dies to self, right? And we know that Revelation 12, 11 says that we defeat the devil by the blood of the lamb. That's already a done deal. Jesus' blood on the lamb, on the cross, that we are um by the power of our testimony, and that we're not so afraid to die. And ironically, to me, the DOB V, Don O'Brien version of the Bible, is that in order to do number two, you have to die to self. You had to die to yourself to do that act of obedience. Yeah. I would from the outside looking in, sis, and we're good friends, and I've watched you for many decades. You're a natural worshiping the King of Kings on that altar. It doesn't matter if there's um a couple hundred thousand in a stadium in front of New Hope at Easter, or if it's, you know, you and Junia, her daughters, Paul Junior, if it's you and just an audience of one Jesus, you'll worship. Yeah, you have no problems. No, not at all. I would think then going the next step to preach would not be that hard.
SPEAKER_04You know, it I think what happened was there's a known fear, right? We know, and many of your viewers know that as people of God who are working towards completing your assignments from God, that there's always going to be challenge, right? And it was the, oh my gosh, if I do this, I know we're gonna be challenged. And you know, I have a newfound appreciation for pastors. I gotta see. You said that as soon as you came off that altar, you did say that. Because it's the the prayer and the preparation and the complete surrender because, you know, our flesh, right, we want to, we want to perform. Yeah, right. We have a lot of performance pastors. Yes, yes. And um it's uh it's kind of a keeping up with the joints. I mean, it's just the the the environment we live in, right? Correct. Everybody's posting their very best. And so you don't see all the retakes, right? Take one, take two, take three. You don't see that.
SPEAKER_00I'm in the practice round.
SPEAKER_04Correct.
SPEAKER_02This is you perfecting it being on stage, but you're right. This is the same thing.
SPEAKER_04So there's a lot of performance, correct? And so there's that pressure, and you know, when you're preparing, you're like, how do I make this right? And then it's the dying to self, like, okay, God, this is not about how I look. Come on, this is only about how you look. This is only about what people know about you, and you know, in the preparation, God broke me because my message was at his feet, recognized, restored, and released. And personally, you know, when you are um so for me, in my marriage, right, my desire for my marriage is it becomes all the things that you see on social, right? You see all these couples that, oh, they're praying for one another, they're on their knees together, this is what they're posting. No, we don't know that that's what it looks like, but we want to be all those things. And God slapped me upside the head and he was like, You need to be at my feet because if my husband, I know this about myself, and I hope this speaks to somebody out there. If my husband were to be all the things that I, you know, think is what a a Christian marriage idealized, Christian Superman, I would be at his feet. Right? And that ain't the feat where I'm gonna be recognized, restored, and released.
SPEAKER_02Right?
SPEAKER_04And it was like God said, you don't need him to be all those things. I am. Come on, right? I am the lover of your soul. I am your super mana. I am the one who empowers you. I am the one that will lace your lips with the words that need to be said. Wow. I am the one that will think through your mind and speak through your lips. I am it. And it was like in that preparation, I was like, oh God forgive me. Wow. Right? So it was God forgive me, and oh my husband, forgive me. Oh, right, because that's unrealistic expectations to put on another human. Now we're sacred ground right now, right? And we don't want those kinds of expectations. I had one person tell me once, you know, man will always fail you. Don't don't ever put your hope in man or your faith in man. They will always fail. We will always fail. We're all human. We're all human.
SPEAKER_02We fall short of the glory of God every day, Romans.
SPEAKER_04And so God was like, I am my feet, be at my feet. And so that preparation was a breaking of me. It was a refining of me. And I'm so grateful to have had that opportunity. It stretched me tremendously.
SPEAKER_02And that was all working up until Mother's Day, which you knew God was gonna test you because when we preach on a fire, we first we go through the pain of that fire. That's right. That's the goodness of God. I want
Marriage Under Pressure And Identity In Christ
SPEAKER_02um two things. I had a divorce pastor just tell me this on Saturday, a gentleman who went through that ringer, and he said, You know, Don, we I what I've learned coming out of my second marriage is we idolize marriage, even as Christians. Yeah. And so we do, as to your point, of see something on Instagram, social media, TikTok, and this is the the almost glorified, magnified, filterized version of a Christian couple. Correct. But it's not the real. You have the real man and the real woman who are struggling, human flesh. They fart, they spit, they swear, right. And I'm not promoting all of those things, right? But that's the real thing. But if you gotta do some of those things, you gotta do it. Not on camera, please. But he said we've idolized it, and then Christian marriages and then a pastor marriage, even more so. When and you're a Christian leader minister, correct? And so if I think, and I my response to him was thank you for tearing down that idol, because for so many years growing up, I was in ministry from the age of 13, right, with Pastor Wayne at New Hope Hilo. And I basically was looking for a husband, but the candidate I wanted was a pastor with a portfolio. And I'm talking about a financial portfolio. You had to have the best of both worlds. You had to be a stud and you had to be spiritual, right? And I'm we're still putting that out there. Jesus just answered that Jesus' name. But um, that idol has got to be torn down because my second point in asking him, and and I'd ask uh, you can have Manao as well respond, is I said, the interesting thing is that I believe marriages today are the top target for Satan, 100% who comes to steal, kill, and destroy marriages. And if you're a Christian marriage, even more so because it makes Christ look bad, and if you're a pastor, yeah, the worst target is on the biggest target is on their backs as ministry leaders.
SPEAKER_04Correct, on their marriage and their families, right? And so that's what I was talking about when I said my delay was because I knew if I say yes, there's gonna be challenge, and I love my husband, I love my daughter. But I know that in order for us to be at the place where God wants us and needs us to be, there is some brokenness because that then requires the dependence on God. If everything were perfect, why would we need God? Right? So he puts people that are uh not perfect, right? We are in transition from glory to glory into the image of God, which we will never be until we get to eternity. Right. So through from then, from now till then, right? We're constantly being changed, we're being challenged. And so in my marriage, I mean, we've gone through fire, and it I mean, you gotta fight for your marriage against it would be so easy for everybody to just say, you know what, I'm done, right? That's the easiest thing to do. And it happens, it does happen, and you know, when you really think about it, what are we giving into? What we're doing is we're giving the enemy his own sense of satisfaction and victory. Yes. And like I said in the beginning, he's challenging your identity. So my identity as a woman of God, and then as a wife, right, he's challenging that and he wants to rip those things he comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Come on, right? And we have to be the gatekeepers of our marriages, of our families, even for people who are single, right? When you're single, I was single for a long time. I didn't get married till I was 40 or just shy of 40, right? And I remember feeling that way, like I want to be married. Right. And my one aunt said, in all her wisdom, she said, the grass always looks greener on the other side. That's because there's more manure there. But um, you know, it and I was like, what? And you know, I didn't realize at the time, and now I see it so clear, and it was God saying, be at my feet, because you know, I'm studying, preparing for this message. I got my Bible out, I got my computer out, I'm at the table, and my husband and my daughter are doing their things, and I'm like, oh, I want to do that, but nope, I gotta do this, right? It's that that struggle for time and attention, and God deserves our very best. Yes, and going back to this is the end time. So, what is it that he's called us to do? That's good. And if that was my only chance to have the ability to be on that platform, I'm so grateful they entrusted me with it. And honest to God, that message was more for me than anybody else. And if he used it for anybody, I'm grateful. Um, but it really was for me. And I I was so very challenged and at the same time so blessed to do it.
SPEAKER_02And thank you for. Saying that you're a humble Hawaiian, but I am neither Hawaiian nor am I humble. So I will just say it was one of the best darn tutinous messages I've ever heard. Thank you. And part of that is God is always faithful to bring a right now Rhema revelation. He brings a it's the good news of today. You think the news is daily and hourly and moment by moment, you're looking up your news. God's got a right now Rhema word for you. Yeah. And you had spoken about being in the position where the promise can come down. Correct. I was I have been going through a season, a very spiritual battle, and we've shared, so you know. And I needed that word. It was like I was clinging to everything. I even forgot, and I'm a speech teacher, right? Public speak speaking teacher. And I always say public speaking is the number one fear on earth. Number two is death. You know, so think about it. It's even worse than death, is you would rather die outside my class than give that speech. But I forgot to time you. I started, I started your clock. I'm always very good. I'm tabulating all these things in my head. How many ums did you say? Did she have content? Did she have this? How was her delivery? Her nonverbals. I forgot all of that. And I just sat at the feet of the throne of God and I lapped up the good word that was given. And it helped me to make a very critical, an obedient choice that I did not want to make. But I'm sure you were going through that yourself. But that's so God to be able to feed you with that one message and feed me. It was beautiful. So thank you so much for that, Charmaine. Um,
Family Story And A Miracle Pregnancy
SPEAKER_02let's talk about your family. Tell me about your husband and of course, Junya. That's what her nickname is now, as she ministers with you.
SPEAKER_04Yes, she is. So my husband Conrad and I met on match.com in 1996. We've been married for 19 years now. So 20 years next year. I'm planning hey, you know, some kind of fun celebration. Come on now.
SPEAKER_02Yes you.
SPEAKER_04Um, and so you know, our daughter Meleana, I mean, that really was the second gift to us from God, right? First was each other, second was her. And um, we were trying to get pregnant for three years, and you know, it wasn't happening. And we went through IVF, and And as you said, you married later in life. I did see you in your four years. Correct. And so at 42, the doctors uh in IVF said, We're canceling your um your process, and it was right before they were gonna harvest eggs, and they said, Um, you're actually you're you have an enlarged uterus and you will never have a child. And they told me this over the phone, it was awful. And so I went to pick up my husband from work that day in tears, and he got in the car, and I just told him, I need to release you from our marriage because you're gonna make a great dad one day, and I cannot be a mom. And he immediately, without a split second, said, I prayed for you, and God gave me you, and we serve a big God, and we're gonna tell him the desires of our heart every single day, but we will submit to whatever his will is. Like immediately, he spoke that to me, and we did. We every single day, God, this is what we would want to do, but we submit. And I'm not kidding, it was like we got pregnant through prayer. Of course, you know, we had to do our part too, but nine months later we were pregnant. And we were, and my doctor was like, What? You know, and I mean, and here I was just shy of 43 at the time. And I had the most beautiful pregnancy. Um, and so Meleana uh just this year, actually, she was on the front lines responding to Konalo with me, interviewing people, taking intake, listening to their stories, and just, you know, having empathy and compassion on people. And a Salvation Army officer said, I mean, she's just like you. And then they started calling her junior. And so, you know, she's she's 15, she's gonna be 16 in two weeks. So we're driving home that night, and she goes, Mom, did you hear the officers calling me junior? And I was like, I did. How did you feel about that, right? Because 15-year-old girl and a mom, right? And she goes, I liked it. And I was like, You liked it? And she said, Yeah. I said, You want me to call you that? She said, Yes. And I'm not kidding, I cried all my lashes off because I was like, Lord, that is a beautiful thing. And so we call her junior 100%. And then 31 children will cause us and bless you. Come on. I am so grateful.
SPEAKER_02Your miracle baby girl.
SPEAKER_04I'm telling you. And so then, just last week, so um, I was asked to come with a team from Hawaii to go and lead worship at a women's conference in Del Oro, California. And we were leaving on a Thursday, about two weeks ago, Thursday, and on Monday, one of our singers called out and she sings harmony. And I was like, I don't have anybody else that can turn around in three days to go on this trip. And so I said to the officer, I said, Well, I can bring my daughter, she's not on our worship team, but she sings harmony, she's a worshiper, she leads worship for a youth uh group, and they said yes. And so she got to go with us to minister to 240 women. Well, hello, hallelujah. And I am telling you, wow, on the stage, there were moments where I was like, God, this is your faithfulness right here. Yes, it is. Because I watched her worship God. She wasn't singing, she was worshiping. And some people took video and I got to watch it and I showed it to her, and I said, Do you understand the gift that God has given you one? But then there's a responsibility that comes with that gift, right? And so that's the thing now that we have to help her navigate and pray over and protect, and you know, that God would keep her heart pure and holy. Um, but what a tremendous opportunity to go and do that together.
SPEAKER_02That's a God-given gift. That is a tremendous opportunity. We thank you for inviting me to Mother's Day. I crashed the party pretty much. It was wonderful to have you and saw you preach your wonderful word right to my heart. But afterwards, one of my highlights of this Mother's Day, and um I don't have my own cakey, so I mooch off of the best cakey in the lifetime. I've known Meliana since she was a little baby, came to my radio stadium and grabbed the microphone. She didn't even talk yet. I was like, Oh, okay. Um, did you want to talk? You don't talk yet. But um Meliana and I were in the back seat on the way back home, and she I said, What do you want to be when you grow up? Kind of a standard issue for old Auntie Dawn. And she said, Well, you know, of my many gifts that God has given me. Oh, oh, hey, okay. Declared that compassion. And I was like, Yes, you do. And she shared about ministering at the Kona Low and how she wants to do more of that. And then we started talking about she's running for office at her school and what she wants to do as president. And I'm like, You're like a sophomore, right? And so this girl has the touch of God on her life. I think that is um a direct reflection of you, right? Because the Ulu didn't fall far from the tree, or you know, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Mom, you have so many gifts, and you've been raising up this child in the way that she should go, along with dad. We see you, Mr. Conrad, whoever. Um, but this child is gonna be amazing and a blazing for the kingdom of God advancing in these last seconds of the last days. Yeah, it gives my heart great hope as old Auntie Dawn or as a mom, a mooch mom through you, uh, to see these children rising up on fire, just the pillar of fire moving.
SPEAKER_04Sis, thank you so much for that. You know, it takes a village, right? And so from when she was little, listening to you on the radio, we'd be going to boot camp in the morning, and she's like, That's my Auntie Dawn, 4:30 in the morning, right? And then being in the studio with you. And then, you know, it's almost like full circle moments. And just the other day, we were looking at something at home. I I forgot to bring you this, but I had a scone at home for you. She said, Take that to Auntie Dawn to enjoy with her coffee because she loves you so dearly, right? And so um, you have spoken into her life and encouraged her even on Mother's Day, and um, you know, that kid is a tremendous gift. And yes, that empathy and that compassion that she has is really special and that is from God.
SPEAKER_06Yes.
SPEAKER_04Um, you know, I I don't take any credit for that. Um, but God's gonna do something with that.
SPEAKER_02And I'm excited to see becomes a woman of God of great promise and potential. And she's not waiting. She's 15 and she's on fire.
SPEAKER_00I'm like, I want to be you when I grow when I grow up.
SPEAKER_02Junior, hawaneoeva. Um, two last
A Word For Women Who Feel Not Enough
SPEAKER_02things. What word would you give to other women, moms, aunties? You did on Mother's Day, but is there a fresh word of revelation on your heart to impart to the women watching right now? Because you look like you so look like you have it all together, Miss Aloha Hula, right?
SPEAKER_00She's you're giving me all kinds of titles. I'm just flying them out because we heal us why we bragging on our own, heal on a time.
SPEAKER_02But a great composer, worship warrior. What you know, and you've just transparently shared, you're not necessarily perfect, but what word of encouragement would you give women who are straining and striving every day, this side of Jesus? What would you share with them?
SPEAKER_04You know, the most important thing is to know whose you are, right? God has given you a seat at the table, and your job is to sit and allow him to do what he wants to do in your life, he calls you beloved. So allow yourself to be loved by him. Um, I had to journey through that and struggle through that. And, you know, as women, I don't know what it is, but it's one of the tactics of the enemy I know because I know beautiful, strong, powerful women all over the place. And every single one I talk to that looks like they have it all together are all struggling the same thing. So no matter what walk of life, you know, if you are a CEO at a company or you a CEO at your home, we're all going through the same things. And God loves us equally, right? And if we knew and we understood just how much He adores us and just how much He's saying, Sweetheart, I got you. Yes, right? And just rest in that and do the things faithfully, whatever it is for you. Don't compare yourself to anyone else. God made you you, so you do you, because when we compare, we can only be second best, right? Yeah, so just be you. And he gave, he already gave you the gift that he needs you to use to advance his kingdom. It might be making cookies, it might be writing a book, it might be a kind word or a simple gesture of caring for somebody. It is all important, not one more important than the other. Every single act of kindness is important. And, you know, I I really believe that, you know, as women, when we question ourselves, this is something God worked on me because I would, I told you, imposter syndrome, right? I'm like, I'm not good enough, I didn't graduate college, I didn't do all the things, I don't have those degrees. I it's constant, constant in my head. And what I realized was when I start questioning the fact of all the things I didn't do, I start discounting what God already did.
SPEAKER_01Oh, wow. Right? Wow.
SPEAKER_04And he don't he don't need me, first of all. He don't need any one of us to do any of the things that he's purposing to do. But he already gave us everything we need to do what he's purposed us to do. We just gotta trust in God. So good, period. Right? I love that. So I'm not gonna question him anymore. When things come my way, I'm just gonna be obedient and trust that he's in control. He's the sovereign God, the God of the universe, the maker of heaven and earth, the alpha, the omega. You and I are leaders, we're not followers, we're not meant to fit into this world. We're meant and set apart for his purposes. And so we need to love him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and get about the father's business.
SPEAKER_02I love that. And I think a lot of women, especially when we see Manahine, Koahine, power women, um, as you said, thank you for motioning my direction. We struggle with those negative thoughts with a high level of comparison. And I always say comparison is a game where somebody always loses, somebody's always gonna be the lesser than.
SPEAKER_05Correct.
SPEAKER_02Um, and but we compare ourselves so much, and but I say completion, it's not a competition, it's a completion of the bride of Christ. Yeah, I can't be Charmaine as much as I would love to, and I've thought about it. I want to have the lovely lashes and the regal, elegant um presence. Often I feel like the tomboy titta, right? I wish I had gone to Kamehameha schools. I still try out for song contests. Let me do it right now. Ray, re-real, Kamehameha. But I'm not Charmaine, and Charmaine cannot be Don. Don cannot be Kanani Mayole. I cannot be Diane Park, I can't be Leolani di Lima. Right. But each of us coming together, oh, the army of God, the Amoha army is arising. So thank you for that. That it's not about competition, it's completion, and there's no comparison that's to be about the father's business as you are purposed to do. Last
Defining Aloha And Honoring Her Mom
SPEAKER_02question we ask every guest what is aloha to you?
SPEAKER_04Whew, you know, that's a loaded question, right? So I used to sing in a group in Hilo called the, I think it was called the Hilo Youth Symphony. Does that sound right? Hilo Youth Chorus, something I can't remember the name. And there was a song called Aloha, and it said, Aloha is a word that has so many meanings, like saying hello and goodbye. It means how are you? and I miss you so, and I hope you're feeling all right. But most of all, it's a feeling from within that makes you feel so good inside. Because aloha means with all my heart, all my heart I love you, right? And when I think of aloha, you know, my the picture in my mind is always my mom. And my mom was promoted to glory at a young age of 54 back in 1995. But still today, I think of her, and I mentioned this to you. My mom, everywhere she would go, she would bring lay for people. And you do that, you make lay, you give lay. And I told you, you remind me of my mom, and it it inspired me to also do the same thing. And so for me, this year, aloha in action looks like bringing joy in every place that I have the privilege of entering. And I do that through sewing lay, praying for the folks that I'm I'm meeting, and and bringing that. That's aloha in action right now. Um and then I see aloha in action through my daughter on this last trip to go and lead worship for these women. I watched her on her own clear plates from people at tables that were sitting and eating. I watched her help a woman on her wheelchair to get up a little steep ramp. I watched her get into a swing next to a girl who was sitting on a swing set by herself. And it again, it it goes back to those simple acts that we sometimes discount and we think they don't mean anything. But in somebody's life, it could mean everything.
SPEAKER_01There's no act of kindness too big or too small that goes uncounted.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. I love that. And that was uh you kind of started on the last last question. After what is aloha to you is who is your aloha hero, either past or present.
SPEAKER_04So I mentioned my mom, yeah. So my mom was a beautiful woman from Hilo. She was a manager at the Hawaii Nani Loa. Back then it was Inter Island Resorts, and you know, she was a songbird, and she was the worship team at our church. There was no band. She just got up in the back row and just started singing, and everybody just followed along. And um, when I, you know, when I was young and I was getting ready to enter a pageant, I said, Mom, I'm gonna sing. And she said, Kaya, that's my middle name, Cahea Lani. She said, Cahea, you're a you're a dancer, not a singer. And I was like, Mom, I have watched you my whole life. And and I said, This, this is the true heart of who I was, right? I said, Mom, singing wins. And so I, along with uh Kumuhula Johnny Lamho, wrote a song and sang uh at uh Miss Aloha Hula and had the privilege of of winning that. Um but in that reign as queen, it really was my mom who deserved that crown because she served with so much aloha. And, you know, I desire to be like her every single day because she prayed me to Jesus. She believed that I would come back to Jesus one day. And it's because of her faithfulness and her belief and her fighting from victory that I can say today I am a follower of Jesus Christ, and my only desire is that my daughter would know her mom like I knew mine, and be inspired by her mom like I was inspired by mine, to be close to Jesus and to love him more than anything, and to sit at his feet and be recognized, restored, and released for his purposes.
SPEAKER_02Amen. Charmaine, Kaha Lani, Hawaniok, whoever so much stunning truth. And my takeaway from Mother's Day was that story you shared about your mom during those years of having that bone um cancer. And every day at the bottom of every day she had to measure her pain levels one to ten and then write she just would write what at the bottom of the page.
SPEAKER_04Every page, so she said, you know, the pain I experienced uh pales in comparison to what Jesus Christ, my savior, endured on the cross for my sin. Every single page, so this was 10 months every hour she had to write out this paper. So when she was promoted to glory, my auntie and I found the reams and reams of paper where she wrote this on every page. And in all honesty, when she promoted to glory, her her entire staff of uh nurses and doctors, they all met Jesus. They there was no way they could deny who Jesus was.
SPEAKER_02She is evangelist, she's the worship, she's gonna be cleaning the toilet, she done the whole thing, all the things, she's in the tabernacle and the temple of the most high God. I can't wait to meet your mama. Yeah, Charmaine Hawaneo Kueva from Salvation Army, Hawaii, doing the most good.
Final Blessing And Closing
SPEAKER_02Thank you so much for all of your mana'o, and thank you for sharing your life. Thank you for sharing Junia Wissam and of course Mr. Conrad and Mama. Um, you can get more of Charmaine, of course, at Salvation Army. We have her contact up there. But remember, as we say, 1 Corinthians 13, love never fails. We flip it into Hawaiian. Aloha always wins. Amen. God bless you and thank you for joining us today on Aloha Alive. Aloha. Aloha.